Catharanthus plant named `Eld Stjarna&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Catharanthus plant named ‘Eld Stjarna’, characterized by its compact, semi-upright and uniformly mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely basal branching habit; freely flowering habit; long flowering period; relatively small star-shaped red purple-colored flowers that become light red with development; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Catharanthus roseus.

Cultivar denomination: ‘ELD STJARNA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Catharanthus plant, botanically known as Catharanthus roseus and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Eld Stjarna’.

The new Catharanthus plant is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of a proprietary selection of Catharanthus roseus identified as code designation MP-mtl, not patented. The new Catharanthus plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor on a single flowering plant of the proprietary selection in a controlled greenhouse environment in Uda, Nara, Japan in July, 2012.

Asexual reproduction of the new Catharanthus plant by vegetative tip cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Uda, Nara, Japan since October, 2012, has shown that the unique features of this new Catharanthus plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Catharanthus have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Eld Stjarna’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Eld Stjarna’ as a new and distinct Catharanthus plant:

1. Compact, semi-upright and uniformly mounding plant habit.

2. Vigorous growth habit.

3. Freely basal branching habit.

4. Freely flowering habit.

5. Long flowering period.

6. Relatively small star-shaped red purple-colored flowers that become light red with development.

7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Catharanthus can be compared to plants of the mutation parent selection. Plants of the new Catharanthus differ primarily from plants of the mutation parent selection in flower color as plants of the mutation parent selection have deep pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Catharanthus can be compared to plants of the Catharanthus roseus ‘Suncatha 2460’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 27,455. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Catharanthus differ from plants of ‘Suncatha 2460’ in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Catharanthus have shorter internodes than plants of ‘Suncatha 2460’.

2. Plants of the new Catharanthus and ‘Suncatha 2460’ differ in flower color as plants of ‘Suncatha 2460’ have flowers that are light red purple in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Catharanthus plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Catharanthus plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Eld Stjarna’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Eld Stjarna’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the late summer and early autumn in 20-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under cultural practices typical of commercial production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 25° C. and night temperatures averaged 15° C. Plants were four months old when the photographs were taken and five months old when the description was taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Catharanthus roseus ‘Eld Stjarna’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of a proprietary     selection of Catharanthus roseus identified as code designation     MP-mtl, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative tip cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About two weeks at             temperatures about 30° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About three weeks at             temperatures about 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About five             weeks at temperatures about 30° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About six             weeks at temperatures about 25° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; typically white in color, actual             color of the roots is dependent on substrate composition,             water quality, fertilizer type and formulation, substrate             temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, semi-upright and uniformly             mounding plant habit; freely basal branching habit with             numerous basal and secondary branches developing per plant;             vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 19 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 38 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 30 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 5.3 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 5.9 mm.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Aspect.—Upright to outwardly.         -   Texture.—Pubescent.         -   Color.—Close to 145C. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Quantity and arrangement.—About 16 per lateral branch;             opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 2.3 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.1 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptical.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Rounded.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138A. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to NN137B; venation,             close to 145C. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 147B; venation, close to 145D.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 4.4 mm. Diameter: About 1.1 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 145C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single star-shaped salverform             flowers arising from upper leaf axils; freely flowering             habit with more than 250 to 300 small flowers developing per             plant; flowers face mostly upright.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering habit.—Plants begin flowering about two to three             weeks after planting; long flowering period, in the garden,             plants flower continuously from the early summer to late             autumn in Japan.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about two to three             days on the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.6 cm. Diameter: About 2.1 mm.             Shape: Narrowly ovoid with cylindrical tube. Color: Towards             the base, close to 145C tinged with close to 35D;             mid-section, close to 145A; towards the apex, close to 49A.         -   Flower diameter.—About 2.6 cm.         -   Flower length (depth).—About 2.2 cm.         -   Tube length.—About 2 cm.         -   Tube diameter, proximally.—About 1.1 mm.         -   Tube diameter, distally.—About 1.9 mm.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals in a single whorl fused at             the base into a tube. Petal length from throat: About             1.3 cm. Petal width: About 5.6 mm. Petal shape: Narrowly             elliptic to oblanceolate. Petal apex: Mucronate to acute.             Petal margin: Entire. Petal texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Throat texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Tube texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Petal, when             opening, upper surface: Close to 53C; eye, close to 53A.             Petal, when opening, lower surface: Close to 54C;             proximally, close to 56D. Petal, fully opened, upper             surface: Close to 46C; eye, close to N45A; color does not             change with development. Petal, fully opened, lower surface:             Close to 50C, 52B and 56D; color does not change with             development. Throat: Proximally, close to 145D; distally,             close to 145A. Tube: Proximally, close to 145D tinged with             close to 35C; distally, close to 145A.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: Star-shaped tubular calyx with five             sepals fused towards the base. Length: About 1.2 mm.             Diameter: About 1.8 mm. Sepal length: About 1.5 mm. Sepal             width: About 0.4 mm. Sepal shape: Lanceolate. Sepal apex:             Acuminate. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper             surface: Smooth, glabrous. Sepal texture, lower surface:             Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Angle:             Mostly upright. Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color:             Close to 145C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.             Anther size: About 1.2 mm by 0.5 mm. Anther shape: Narrowly             elliptic. Anther color: Close to 8C. Pollen amount: Scarce.             Pollen color: Close to 8C. Pistils: Quantity per flower:             One. Pistil length: About 1.7 cm. Style color: Close to             145D. Stigma shape: Globose. Stigma color: Close to N144C.             Ovary color: Close to 144A. Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit             development have not been observed on plants of the new             Catharanthus to date. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Catharanthus have been     observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain     and temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 35° C. to 40° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Catharanthus have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Catharanthus plants to date. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Catharanthus plant named ‘Eld Stjarna’ as illustrated and described. 